1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion device in which a crystalline silicon substrate is used, and a method for manufacturing the photoelectric conversion device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, photoelectric conversion devices that generate power without carbon dioxide emissions have been attracting attention as a countermeasure against global warming. As typical examples thereof, solar cells have been known which use crystalline silicon substrates such as single crystalline and polycrystalline silicon substrates.
In general, the solar cells have a light-receiving surface provided, as an electrode for collecting an electric current, with a grid electrode formed from a metal film, a conductive resin film, or the like. While the grid electrode has the effect of preventing the power loss due to a series resistance, the region behind the grid electrode serves as a region which makes no contribution to electric power generation, and it has been thus desired that the grid electrode will be reduced in width to decrease the area of the grid electrode.
In the case of reducing the width of the grid electrode, in order to prevent the resistance from being increased, the grid electrode is preferably formed so as to have a high aspect ratio in cross section in a short axis direction. As one of means for forming this type of grid electrode, the formation of an embedded electrode has been attempted (see Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1 provides a method in which a crystalline silicon substrate is subjected to dicing processing to form a groove, and the groove is filled with a conductive resin by a screen printing method under reduced pressure. In addition, Non-Patent Document 1 provides a method in which a crystalline silicon substrate is subjected to laser processing to form a groove, and the groove is filled with a conductive layer by an electroless plating method.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2006-54374    [Non-Patent Document 1] N. B. Mason, D. Jordan, J. G. Summers, Proceedings of the 10th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (1991) 280.